1. Dior Homme
Dior Homme’s Parisian headquarters inspire envy in those fond of old world architecture and fans of clean modernism. The design, a joint effort by Antonio Virga Architecte and the Dior’s own architects, sees the style offices and haute couture workshops housed together. Decidedly minimal spaces hide behind an imposing classic facade. A fitting analogy for the brand itself; rooted in the legacy of Christian Dior, now pushing into the future with the hand of creative director Raf Simons.
2. Maison Martin Margiela
Nearby in Paris resides another beautiful HQ, that of Martin Margiela. The building’s past alone is remarkable; once an orphanage, then a design school. When Margiela moved in AnOther heard they found “the classrooms had been left in just the same state as the day they were vacated,” right down to writing which remained on chalkboards. Everything has since been turned white — chandeliers, desks and chairs are covered by white fabric — but a sense of history has remained. The paint used, a white emulsion, is near impossible to clean so every mark made lingers forever.
3. Fondazione Prada
Whilst the Fondazione Prada’s home isn’t a design HQ, it does function as the heart of the institution which Miuccia Prada has dedicated to contemporary art and culture for twenty years. Situated at the site of a distillery in South Milan, the Fondazina (a museum of sorts) resembles a campus in scope. The design is an exercise in dichotomies: old and new buildings, classic and contemporary art, spaces for adults and children alike. Housing diverse ventures like Bar Luce, Wes Anderson’s take on a Milanese Cafe, and Accademia dei Bambini, a children’s space created in collaboration with a neuropediatrician, the Fondazione Prada is a triumph.
4. G-Star Raw
The headquarters of the Dutch brand sits in one of Amsterdam’s industrial hubs and is large enough to house an aeroplane. The imposing building’s glass facade encases production workshops, creative studios and offices. The monolithic structure came from the prolific architectural firm OMA, who were also behind the Fondazione Prada.
5. Foundation Louis Vuitton
Similar to Fondazione Prada, this building functions more as a cultural flagship than a design headquarters. Designed by Frank Gehry, the building is part museum, housing the work of Picasso and Basquiat, and part performance space. In March, Kanye West performed four shows under the building’s curved glass sails.
